Move DAW contents and OS to new computer - confused

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rob aylestone

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I have a fairly powerful computer system but the amount of samplers and stuff is causing a few storage issues, so what I want to do is this - build a new computer with better everything, install new drives - same quantity as the old one and then move the entire contents from one to the other, the post painless way. I don't mind buying software to do it, and I'm quite computer literate. Copying the data drives is simple - but what I want to do is move a fully working system on computer A to computer B and once that one works properly and I can work on it, I'll re-purpose the old one. Windows 10 is on it, plus the usual stuff - Cubase, all my Kontakt stuff, sound forge, adobe, and loads of other common stuff. If windows is an issue with authorisation, I'd happily upgrade that too, if it's a simple process.

The killer will be that any files I open can find all the stuff in the positions they were originally in. I don't want any "cannot find file .....' warnings or requests to search for missing sample files - that kind of thing.

Does such a migration tool exist, and would the same number of drives but bigger ones mess it up? I've got hardware dongles, software dongles and all manner of authentication requirements. I want a process that more or less guarantees I have no downtime after the move, and pretty much does it for me. I found one but it needed me to select locations for everything, and that would be a real pain, and probably I'd mess it up.

Is there a move to a new computer app?
 
I did this last time I upgraded the system drive on my audio computer. Since I was moving from a Samsung EVO SSD to a Samsung 960 Pro NVMe, I just used the Samsung disk migration tool. It cloned my old drive to my new drive, so it was a pretty seamless transition.

I just went looking for the name of the app but I can't seem to find it on my system. I thought maybe it was part of Samsung Magician but I don't see the migration/clone tool in there. Hmmm, now I'm curious.

Aha...found it on Samsung's website. I really don't know if it works outside of Samsung SSDs, but I can't imagine why it wouldn't. But surely there is equivalent software out there somewhere: SSD Tools & Software | Download | Samsung V-NAND SSD | Samsung Semiconductor Global Website
 
Is that not just a tool to replicate the C: drive to a new one? I can't find anything about it being suitable to move to a new machine with different processors, motherboard and different IO? Looks like it would enable transfer to a new drive on the same system - which would be handy - just unclear if it's able to do it to a new machine entirely?
 
whome said:
But you said the new one would be the same.
Click to expand...

I think you have misread what Rob wants.

Here is what he said:

"I have a fairly powerful computer system but the amount of samplers and stuff is causing a few storage issues, so what I want to do is this - build a new computer with better everything, install new drives - same quantity as the old one and then move the entire contents from one to the other, the post painless way."

So his current system, as good as it is, is running out of puff, and he wants to beef it up. But he is happy with the stuff he has on his old system, so he wants to port that across somehow to a bigger and better computer.

He doesn't simply need more storage, nor is he interested in switching platforms. He wants what he already has, but better.
 
I used Macrium and one other program to do complete clones from one laptop drive to the new ones and upgraded from an i5 to an i7 while doing so on one of the machines. It's actually easier than you would think. I would advise (as do the programs) of making a complete system back up before cloning just in case. Once you have cloned a hard drive you can just swap it with the old one temporarily to make sure everything works and you are good to go. I kept my old hard drives anyway so if anything disastrous did happen I wont be down completely.

As for the machine id, windows license number can be transferred, but needs to be re registered IIRC and most software it's just a matter of removing authorization from one machine id and authorizing the new machine. Dev's know people will occasionally upgrade, so there is usually a procedure listed on their sites.
 
I have such a tool - if I can find the thing. Got it from NewEgg.
Simply put, it's a disc clone.

USB to SATA cable. A tiny CD of software. Execute. Let it run. Works a treat. Used it several times.
Doesn't not require same speed or size disc - other than enough room.
Used it for backups during a critical time. Haven't used it in a couple of years, though.

Anyway it's out there. I'm not much help, but it's out there.

Once done, you can replace your C: drive and run like nothing happened. Running on a clone drive right now.
 
Thanks guys. The problem is as some have anticipated, c drive is filling up because some programmes insist it be the home for quite large portions of the content, even if samples go elsewhere. The actual storage drives have no real issues space wise and I can copy those anyway, but the c drive is starting to show signs of lots of caching and swapping. Big sample libraries that are clogging the system up when they load. I'll have a look at some of the options for software. The reality is that as long as I can get a new machine to run exactly the same software on startup, adding the data from the four other drives is the easy bit. Reregistering Windows is fine, and I have to say windows 10 is stable and apart from the annoying updating, is not an issue. As for Linux? How would I run cubase, Adobe, sound forge and kontakt on that OS? I'm not interested in computers, but my work and income is! When steinberg do cubase in Linux some people could be interested, but I won't be one. Ponder 5's solution could be a good one to try, if I can really just plug in a new drive and clone t c drive onto it that could be popped in a new machine. I need to buy three new systems as had an expensive week where a neutral fault in a venue wrecked lots of kit including two computers. One is I think fixable, but the other has a dead motherboard and a now non functioning c drive as well as fried power supply. Nearly 400v up the spout made a small popping noise and a frantic swap to the spare produced a pop from that one too before I realised what was going on! Sorry. Almost started to rant then! It is reinforcing my need for a fully working new system for the studio, before the old one does die!
 
Adapter kits like this are plentiful and cheap: SATA/PATA/IDE Drive to USB 2.0 Adapter Converter Cable for 2.5/3.5 Inch Hard Drive/5 inch Optical Drive with External AC Power Adapter. Google or amazon search the phrase . These can be used to recover (if possible) data from your hard drives in the fried computers sometimes also. Just remove the drives and plug in to a working system.
 
rob aylestone said:
Thanks guys. The problem is as some have anticipated, c drive is filling up
Click to expand...

Rob, what kind of hardware are we talking about here.
Do you actually need to upgrade to a new computer?

I thought it was clear cut, earlier, but it sounds like you might just need a bigger, and maybe faster, system drive.


Regardless : If you want to move to a bigger system disk and that's that, you can clone your current disc to a larger one, do the switcheroo, and hit the ground running.

If you want to move to a bigger system disk but then also put that into a new/different PC, you might be able to do the switch and carry on; You might not.
I've read a fair few reports (modern windows) of migrating a drive from one system to another without issues, but I've also seen plenty of others who hit blue screen and could go no farther because the required sys drivers weren't in place.

At a minimum I expect you'd need to install the chipset(etc) drivers for the new computer, assuming the machine boots and lets you.


If your current system disk is not an SSD, I'd buy an SSD that's big enough, do the clone, then take some time to see how your current system goes after that upgrade.
If that wasn't enough then nothing's lost; You wanted a bigger system disk either way.
 
In the past I've always done a strange upgrade path. I'd buy a new video editing computer, and the old one would go into the audio studio. Video is the most intensive use we have here. I'd then install Cubase and the other stuff. I have a two prong issue. This time, there's no need to upgrade the video machine - it's hardly stressed since the thing started, and while installing Cubase is easy enough, the last time one of the old Kontakt instruments - Colossus - gave me considerable grief, as it's old and unsupported now and every time I currently use it, it has to search for the sample files, because they are not where it expects. On Windows 10, the C: drive is also the location for many of Cubase's files and these I've never managed to get elsewhere, so SSDs are filled pretty quickly with the software I have. All the storage of course is elsewhere, and the samples play from two other Tb drives, but slowly and surely C is filling up with every new purchase or upgrade.

All I want to do is get a new computer - with faster processor, lots of memory and probably 3 internal drives - an SSD, pus two large storage drives, and then it will also have some external drives too. Windows, I know will object the new hardware, but if I can re-authenticate it and make it happy so all locations in terms of drive letters and file structure, work. I've read that some clone/ghost type applications can re-map all the Windows files to make the different drivers, and other gubbins work.

Maybe I just have to get used the the idea that I really am going to have to start again - but I've got quite a few patched 32 bit VSTi's working through a bridge and this will be a faff to have to do again.

I was just hoping that migration had been made simpler now - bit it appears not to be the case. The other reason for the change is that Windows has now started removing the Tascam driver I use for my interface and 'updating' it - I then have to re-install the old one manually. The very latest driver just hangs on my machine - I get a strange distortion and it drops out, requiring me to shut down Cubase, then restart it to pick up the driver. Sometimes, a computer restart is needed - the old driver just works.
 
On Mac, I have used Carbon Copy Cloner, both as a bootable backup, and as a way to migrate to a newer, bigger system drive. It does a great job. I'm sure there's an equivalent for Windows. That said, there are always programs that know you're on a different drive, or that the processor ID of your system has changed, and require re-authorization.
Some vendors just let you re-auth, and some may require interaction to say that you're not using the one that was authorized any more, and this is the new system. Some vendors want you to de-auth the current system before you authorize the new one. You'll have to do some research as to which are which.
Windows will need to be re-authorized, for sure. And some of your programs and plugins may, but all the data should get copied with cloning.
 
rob aylestone said:
All I want to do is get a new computer - with faster processor, lots of memory and probably 3 internal drives - an SSD, pus two large storage drives, and then it will also have some external drives too. Windows, I know will object the new hardware, but if I can re-authenticate it and make it happy so all locations in terms of drive letters and file structure, work. I've read that some clone/ghost type applications can re-map all the Windows files to make the different drivers, and other gubbins work.

.
Click to expand...

Have you familiarized yourself with NVME SSD drives? You will want to make your C drive an NVME drive. (IF you make a new build) As Steenamarroo pointed out, I'd either stay with the system you have and keep it simple, or be prepared for some work starting a new build. I just did one.
 
Rob, I feel your pain.

Years ago, I had application moving software from Powerquest, but they were long ago taken over by Symantec and those programs are no longer available. I doubt it would work with Win7 or 10 anyway. It did work with NT4 and Win 2000. I never upgraded to XP, so I never tried it there. It was a lifesaver when the computer on our HP Gas Chromatograph died. I went to the local computer store and bought an off the shelf computer, cloned the drive and spent about 3 days trying to get all the proper NT drivers for the new computer to work. But our program and data were intact, so it was business as usual in under a week. The only change was to upgrade to a 10baseT connection since the old ISA interface card wouldn't fit in any of the new slots!

My first try would be to build the system, pull the "working" C: drive and replace it with an SSD, then try to clone the old drive. You will probably get a Windows activation alert, but you may be able to get them to activate it. (I had to replace MB/processor due to power surge.... C'mon, its the same case and hard drive... give me a break! :) ) At the worst, you can reinstall the original C: drive and start reinstalling the programs, trying to track down all the VSTi and other files. I don't fool with Cubase, so I don't know if there are preferences where you can specify where all the bits and pieces are stored.

Good luck. I hope your backups are fairly recent!
 
Hi Rob, no disrespect to the guys here but I would also get an opinion at Sound on Sound forum.

Between Martin Walker and Pete of Scan Computers you have two of the best audio related computing brains in the country. Martin I know did a "PC Notes" article about cloning drives some years ago.

Re the electrical burn up, I hope you are suing somebody? !!

Dave.
 
I have to admit that I have good backups of the project files but not of the various libraries as they're downloadable files. If the working system can be transferred, then I'll keep it going as a working backup. Cubase uses a dongle, and Adobe can be on multiple machines so feel safe with that.

I guess you're right, I'll just have to buckle down to do it it properly if the cloning fails! It won't. I feel lucky.
 
rob aylestone said:
I don't want any "cannot find file .....' warnings or requests to search for missing sample files - that kind of thing.
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That's gonna be the trickiest part since any migration tool would need to be familiar with all of the different pieces of software that might throw such errors. e.g. It would need to edit your DAW's project files to change paths.
Does such a migration tool exist, and would the same number of drives but bigger ones mess it up?
Click to expand...

That's also the major solution. As long as all your paths remain identical to what they were before, those old paths should be good. (e.g. if you had a data disk called e: before, you'll need to make sure it's still e:.)
 
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just a passing thought - If I buy an indentical motherboard but put in a more modern processor and the same quantity of drives, would this make out simpler as the machines would be more or less identical in hardware terms?
 
rob aylestone said:
just a passing thought - If I buy an indentical motherboard but put in a more modern processor and the same quantity of drives, would this make out simpler as the machines would be more or less identical in hardware terms?
Click to expand...

It should, yeah, but then would you not just upgrade the CPU + system drive in the machine you have?

Apologies if I've missed some info along the way but I'm reading this like 'my system disc is running out of space. How complicated can I make it?' :D

If you're not running an SSD just get one, clone a to b, switch, and probably be happy.
You can get a TB for £50-100 these days..It's a no brainer.
 
I don't think that you'd be saving yourself much trouble by buying an identical motherboard. The chances of getting the same revision are pretty slim if it's been years since you bought the original mobo. And if it's a different revision of mobo, the chipset drivers and other system drivers (like USB, SATA, etc.) are likely different, so you'll have to reinstall the appropriate version anyways.

All it'll take to migrate to a new computer is to clone your system drive and then install all of the manufacturer's chipset and system drivers for the new motherboard. Even if the old drivers are part of the cloned drive image, that'll almost certainly be OK. Just reinstall the appropriate system drivers once you've got your drive migrated to the new system. That stuff will all be available on the motherboard manufacturer's website.
 
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